The present invention relates to a device for gripping and handling bottles in a labelling machine, and to a method of filling and pressurizing bottles.
In particular, the device according to the invention can be used on, machines for labelling plastic bottles.
Current labelling machines have a carrousel structure and are provided with a plurality of devices for gripping and handling bottles along their periphery.
Each device comprises a disk, associated through a guiding roller with a mechanical cam, and a member for centering the container relative to the disk.
The mechanical cam places the disks and the bottles resting on them in rotation so that the bottles are suitably brought to the labelling units that apply the labels.
However, such traditional devices have several disadvantages due to the fact that the system is not very flexible since the drives are mechanical.
In fact, when the bottle or the type of label being applied are changed, the device settings must be changed accordingly, so as to adapt them to the particular production or type of bottle being produced.
This implies that in the traditional devices, the mechanical cams arranged around the entire carrousel machine need to be replaced with different and suitably shaped cams.
Such operation causes even very long periods of inactivity.
Moreover, it is often necessary to replace also the devices feeding the bottles to the machine, such as for example screw conveyors and/or radial arms, thereby further increasing the periods of inactivity of the machine.
Moreover, the lower overall dimensions of traditional devices are always very large, since both the disks supporting the bottles from the base, and the cam, are arranged in the lower portion of the machine.
This hinders accessibility to the component parts of the labelling machine, as well as their cleaning.
An object of the present invention is to eliminate the above-mentioned prior-art disadvantages by providing a device for gripping and handling bottles in a labelling machine in a highly flexible operation.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device which should allow changing the settings to apply different labels or on different types of bottles, in a very, quick and easy manner, so as to obtain very limited dead times and ensure a very high productivity.
Another object of the invention is to provide a device which should not require replacing he mechanical cams with different cams and/or replacing the devices for feeding the containers to the machine, such as screw conveyors and/or radial arms.
A further object of the invention is to provide a device which exhibits limited overall dimensions at its lower portion, so as to ensure good accessibility to the component parts of the machine and considerably facilitate their cleaning.
Last but not least, yet another object of the invention is to provide a method of bottle filling and pressurizing.
These and other objects are achieved by a device for gripping and handling bottles in a labelling machine, which comprises at least one body carrying a member for gripping a bottleneck, control means in rotation of said gripping member, and a member for centering said bottle relative to said gripping member.
The invention also relates to a method of bottle filling and pressurizing, wherein a stem of a bottle gripping and handling device, provided with a passage for the bottle filling and pressurizing gap, associates with an opening of the bottle, after that a tubular member containing the stem translates with respect to the stem and opens an on-off valve, thereby causing the bottle filling and pressurizing.
Advantageously, in the device according to the invention the control means actuates in rotation only the gripping member, and the centering member through the bottle. The other members, on the other hand, do not rotate.
The device can be used with several types of bottles having different shape and size, since all bottles exhibit similarities in their upper portion, in the proximity of the mouth, whereas they may exhibit even considerable differences at the bottom.